Statement by Governor Perry on Chinese Hack of OPM

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry today released the following message regarding news that the scope of the Chinese cyberattack against the Office of Personnel Management is significantly larger than previously reported:

"As officials meet this week for the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, we've learned the Chinese breach of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is far worse than originally stated, compromising the personal data of some 18 million current, former and prospective federal employees.

The cybersecurity threat that our nation faces must be looked at holistically. Cyber aggressors have watched the Obama Administration fail to enforce its own red lines on a number of issues. The federal government needs to take serious steps to shore up the vulnerabilities in our nation's cyber defenses, and create meaningful consequences to discourage both nations and individuals from engaging in these attacks.

As China continues its cyberespionage against American businesses and government, and threatens freedom of navigation by aggressively asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea, I hope the Obama Administration will use the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue as an avenue to protect American interests, and as more than just a ceremonial photo opportunity."

In order to deter foreign powers from engaging in future cyberattacks, the U.S. could pursue the following measures:

• Impose sanctions and travel bans on businesses and organizations that profit from cyber espionage.
• End transnational technological collaboration with universities where hacking is cultivated and executed.
• Work with other countries to create an international "blacklist" of these actors, to which private companies can contribute information.